State school takeover bill stalls in Senate, Republicans want changes

Republicans in the state Senate are demanding changes to a bill that would facilitate state takeovers of struggling schools. Legislation to expand the state’s Education Achievement Authority passed in the state House last month.

But Senate Education Committee Chair Phil Pavlov says lawmakers made several changes that undermine the original intent of the bill.

“The process has gotten away from that a little bit to include more bureaucracy, more levels of involvement. I think we’re getting further away from the mission of fixing these schools that have children and parents trapped.”

Pavlov says he’s worried about language that would cap state takeovers through the EAA at 50 schools. He also wants to remove a provision that would let regional public school officials take control of struggling schools instead of the state.

Pavlov says his committee probably won’t take up the bill until June at the earliest.